Fountain pen filling device



G. W. OAKES FOUNTAIN PEN FILLING DEVICE Filed Jan. 30, 1946 WW 5 WW 73/ fl :"n m T z I I in 2 2 ii; w WW 5:? w m 4.7 m AM Jan. 10, 1950 w MIM IN V EN TOR. George 2% Una/ 112.5 BY

oifigvi's Patented Jan. 10, 1950 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE FOUNTAIN PEN FILLING DEVICE George W. Oakes, Crystal City, Mo. Application January 30, 1946, Serial No. 644,305 Y (01. 226-63) 2 Claims. 1

This invention relates to a device which may be used in conjunction with a font for filling an article with suitable fluid or liquid.

The device may be applied to a commercial ink bottle and receive the writing end of a fountain pen for the purpose of filling the pen with ink, said device being of the type disclosed in my United States Patent No. 2,424,896.

The principal object of the present invention is the provision of a device of the indicated character embodying improvements whereby filling operations may be carried out quicker and easier.

With the foregoing, other objects of the invention will appear when the following specification is read in conjunction with the accorripanying drawing, in which Fig. 1 is a sectional view showing the device of the present invention in use.

Fig. 2 is a sectional view showing the device in an upright position at rest but ready for use.

Fig. 3 is a sectional view taken on the line 3-3 of Fig. 2 and looking in the direction indicated by the arrows.

Fig. 4 shows the keeper of the valve detached.

The device as shown in the drawing includes a body I0 made wholly of resilient material such as rubber. The body I0 is constructed to provide compressible and expansible means at one end and adapted when manipulated to receive a quantity of fluid or liquid and to discharge it therefrom. Said means in the present instance consists of a bulb The body it! as formed provides a tubular portion constituting an outlet means |2 adapted to receive a portion of an article to be filled with fluid. Since the body is made of resilient material the outlet means I 2 is in the nature of an expansible and contractible socket or nipple into which an article to be filled may be projected regardless of the cross sectional size within certain limits. A throat I 3 formed in the body l0 provides a restricted passage M to control the flow of fluid from the interior of the bulb H to the passage provided by the outlet means l2, subject to the manipulation of the bulb.

The features hereinabove described are embodied in the device disclosed in my United States Patent No. 2,424,896.

In accordance with the present invention, the body I0 is formed to provide an inlet end IS on the bulb I in axial alinement with the outlet means l2. The inlet and I5 has a flange l6 which accommodates a circular adaptor H. The

flange I6 is disposed inside of the adaptor I1 and serves as a resilient gasket. The adaptor has means such as a thread l8 for the purpose of attaching the device to a container supplied with fluid or liquid. The inlet end |5 has connected therewith valve means to control the flow of fluid between said container and the bulb The valve means cooperates with the bulb to increase the flow of fluid toward the outlet during the pressure period, and also when the pressure is withdrawn from the bulb, by creating a partial vacuum in the article to be filled while projecting into the outlet means.

The aforesaid valve means may be diversely formulated. In the present instance, said means consists of a sleeve or tubular member IS, a valve member 20, and a keeper 2|. These parts are made of acid resistant materials. The sleeve t9 and keeper 2| are made of plastic material. The valve member 20 is globular andis made of glass or the like. The sleeve l9 has an inwardly directed flange 22 on the inner end, and an outwardly directed flange 23 on the outer end thereof. The flange 22 constitutes a seat for the valve member 20 which is freely movable in the sleeve l9 between a closed position on the seat and an open position. The keeper 2| is arcuate and has laterally inwardly directed projections 24. Because the keeper 2| is made of resilient material, the keeper may be flexed to enable the projections 24 to be snapped under the flange 23, and between it and the gasket l6. Thus the keeper 2| is securely held in place, yet it may be removed for the purpose of inserting the valve member 20. The keeper 2| limits the opening movement of the valve member or ball 20 to a position in which fluid may pass into the bulb I through the sleeve I9. The flange 22 has a notch 25 therein which provides a vent for a purposeto be explained.

The device may be used advantageously for filling a fountain pen with ink from a suitable container supplied with such fluid. In Figs. 1 and 2 there is shown a container in the form of a bottle 26 and a fountain pen 21. The adaptor I! is screwed on the outlet neck of the bottle. The writing end of the pen is inserted into the outlet means l2. If desired, a suitable clamp 28 may be used to securely connect the device with the pen.

To fill the pen the bottle with the device and pen interconnected, as explained, is grasped with one hand and held in an inverted position, as shown in Fig. 1. This causes some ink to flow from the bottle into the bulb before the valve member or ball 20 can drop into a closed position on the seat 22. By squeezing the bulb with the thumb 22 fingers of the other hand pressure is caused to exist within the bottle, filling device and the sack or reservoir of the pen. Air in the pen is compressed slightly and at the same time some ink flows by gravity into the pen. When the bulb is squeezed the ball oifers resistance to the upward passage of air and ink from the bulb back into the bottle, thereby increasing the pressure inthe pen and causing a little more ink to flow into the pen. Upon squeezing the bulb, the ball 20 eventually lifts and some air passes into the bottle from the rest of the system. Before gravity causes the ball to drop back when-pressure on the bulb is withdrawn, some additional ink flows into the bulb from the bottle. The bulb assumes its normal shapeon releasaand' in1s0 doing creates a suction action in the pen, removing some air from the pen which is replaced by more ink flowing by gravity from the bulb into the pen.

In-order toassure a proper balance of pressure,

1 and primarily toavoid excessive back pressure of air in the'bottlebecause of'repeated manipula tions of thebulb, thevent 25 heretoforementioned will relieve such back pressure'and maintain a proper working condition.

From the foregoing it will be understood the device when'manipulated' functions to deliver ink into the penboth on the compression of the bulb: '--and by suction action of the bulb whenthe bulb is released. This enables a pen to be filled quickly "and easily.

It is to be understood the invention is not restricted tothe details above -describedybut includesall constructions and modifications coming within the scope of the'appended claims.

' Iclaim:

1."A- device adapted to fill anarticle with fluid from a fluid container, said device consisting of a bulb havingan inlet and an outlet, valve means communicating with said inlet for controlling the flow of fluid between the container and the bulb when the device is attached to the container, means surrounding said valve means for attaching the device to the container in communication with the valve means, and means connected with the outlet to receive in a fluid-tight manner the article to be filled, said valve means comprising a tubular member whose inner end communicates with said inlet, a seat On said tubular member interiorly thereof at its inner end, a valve member freely movable in the tubular member between a closed position on said seat and an Iopen position, means on the outer end of the tubularmember to limit the opening movement ofsaid'valve member, said valve member being movable ato open position by fluid pressure caused by .compressing said bulb and movable by gravity to a'closed position when the bulb is relieved of compression.

2. A device as set forthin claim 1, wherein said seat consists 'of'a fiangeon the tubular member,

said flange'has a notch therein providing a vent, and said valve member is globular. GEORGE W. OAKES.

. REFERENCES" CITED The following references are of recordin the file of this .patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS 

